Antanas Račiūnas (1905-1984) belongs to the first generation of composers educated by the composer Juozas Gruodis. Author of ten symphonies, Antanas Račiūnas has entered the history of Lithuanian music with his opera "Three Talismans". Large-scale compositions - symphonies and operas - constitute the core of Antanas Račiūnas' output. His symphonic opuses abound with folk music quotations. The composer favoured harmonic idiom of late romanticism, with the copiousness of thematic ideas lending a suite-like quality to his compositions. Likewise, his vocal compositions display a romanticist touch, while in folk song arrangements Antanas Račiūnas continued Stasys Šimkus' tradition in which the melody is enriched with new motifs.
Renata Varanavičiūtė
